Back in 1999, the rapper formerly known as Zev Love X of KMD proceeded to reinvent himself as an enigmatic, metal-faced supervillain named MF Doom, and this alter ego would go on to leave an indelible mark on the world of hip hop. It was that year that MF Doom released his debut album, the now-classic Operation Doomsday.
The album fused left-field production sensibilities - 80's soul and smooth jazz samples layered over drum breaks – with MF Doom's off-kilter, dexterous rapping, and the result was nothing less than astounding. Though the album had a definite recorded-in-the-basement vibe, that only added to its infectious charm, and it was clear that MF Doom's sheer creative chops were indisputable. Doom would go on to forge a successful career as a juggernaut of underground hip hop, due to both his unique talents as a producer and his unmistakable rapping style, however, it all started with that album.
The record continues to sell so well that they keep churning out reissues like a well-oiled machine. Today, it was announced that the people at Rappcats will be releasing two new vinyl reissues of the classic album, with one featuring the cover art from the original 1999 release on Fondle 'Em Records, and the other featuring the artwork from the 2011 version released on Doom's own Metalface Records. The artwork on the 2011 version was done in collaboration with Jason Jagel and Jeff Jank, the team who also helped MF Doom with the artwork on his 2004 relase, Mm....Food.
In addition to the vinyl reissue, animator Dustooned has created a new video for “Gas Drawls” that is clearly inspired by Doom's original artwork. While the video was technically an unofficial release, it “got the Doom stamp of approval just last week.” The reissues are currently available for purchase at Rappcats.
By Ryan Donberg for RAPstation.com
